Bluefish pitcher Tarsi feeling good again

Rich Elliott

Updated 12:06 am, Thursday, June 14, 2012

BRIDGEPORT -- Left-hander Mike Tarsi never permitted himself to believe that the shoulder injury that plagued him the past two seasons in the Minnesota Twins organization would threaten his career. He knew that an arthroscopic procedure needed to be done last fall and that it would once again allow him to pitch pain-free.

Tarsi, a 6-foot-8 Danbury resident and former UConn standout, spent the off-season strengthening his shoulder. And now as a member of the Bridgeport Bluefish, he is reaping the benefits of his hard work and determination.

Tarsi threw two scoreless innings in relief in Wednesday's 4-0 loss to the Camden Riversharks in Game 2 of a doubleheader before 2,389 at Harbor Yard. He has not allowed a run in his last seven innings of work.

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"I'm happy just to be feeling good,'' Tarsi said. "That's kind of been my focus. I'm just happy to be out there. So whether good or bad, I'm feeling good about it.''

Tarsi retired all six batters he faced, striking out one and throwing 19 pitches (15 strikes). He has a 2.35 ERA, 11 strikeouts and three walks over 15 1/3 innings in seven appearances this season.

"I think he's pretty good,'' Bluefish manager Willie Upshaw said. "I think he can get better. I need to pitch him more. But I think his stuff is good. He hasn't given up a lot of runs. He's making some quality pitches and he's gotten out of some jams.''

Tarsi, 25, said he began to experience pain in his shoulder July 4, 2010. Despite that, he was 3-0 with a 4.22 ERA and one save in 26 appearances at Class AA New Britain last season, and he did not allow a hit in three scoreless innings in two appearances at Class AAA Rochester.

This past September, Tarsi underwent surgery to repair fraying in his posterior labrum.

"It just needed to be done,'' Tarsi said. "It was just getting beat up year after year. And now it feels great and I don't question it at all. And that's the best part about it. I'm not worrying about it. It's not in the back of my mind while I'm throwing.''

Tarsi, who went through rehab in Fort Myers, Fla., with Twins minor league rehabilitation coordinator Lanny Tucker and at Danbury Orthopedics, was released by the Twins in March. He then became a spring training casualty of the Bluefish in April before being signed last month one day before he was set to join the independent Frontier League.

The situation has been good for Tarsi, who said that he does not have a chip on his shoulder in light of what has transpired over the past few months. The Bluefish have provided him with a stage to prove that he is back to full strength. And he can carry on his quest to return to affiliated ball with the luxury of living at home.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm loving playing here,'' Tarsi said. "It's a great group of guys. But that's the goal. That's everyone's goal. It's a big step that everyone wants to take. I want to show people that I can. I hold no grudge against the Twins. But, yeah, I want to get back. My goal is to pitch at a higher level and I think this is the way to do it.''